Defining The Doubt
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Post-ep 5x04 "Haunted". After an evening together, Emily learns Rossi is jealous. Who is he jealous of? And why?


**_A/N - Thanks so much to mingsmommy and tonnie2001969 for their encouragement on this fic. I really appreciate it._**

**Defining the Doubt**

Watching Rossi closely as he alit from his black truck in the driveway of his cabin at Little Creek, Emily sighed as she turned the key in the ignition of her own vehicle. Grabbing her bag from the seat beside her, she watched as he walked toward the back door of the house, not bothering to wait for her. His posture was stiff and it was evident that he was angry about something. She knew his cues. The clench of his jaw. The rigid set of his spine. The way he held his hands clenched at his sides. Cues…warnings. And if she didn't have the visual clues, the sense of impending doom would have been enough to warn her. There was a storm coming. She only hoped that whatever it was, they'd weather it together. Because honestly, she didn't want to think about her life without him in it.

Following him up the flagstone path at a distance, her hand tightened around her go bag as she watched him go through the door. He hadn't even bothered glancing behind him to see if she still trailed him. Biting her lip, she mentally ran through the day. She'd backed him up…supported his insights regarding the case. Even when she had wondered whether Hotch was doing the right thing, walking away from the case at the end. She'd sat in their Unit Chief's office with them while they'd all shared a drink. Nothing extraordinary had happened. So what in the hell had set the older man off?

Tightening her hand on the handle to the storm door, she entered the kitchen quietly. He was already reaching for the Scotch in the cabinet. Not an unusual occurrence for him when they'd come off a hard case, she reasoned. Dropping her bag on the kitchen table, she looked on as he poured a hefty measure into a heavy glass tumbler.

Ignoring her, he walked into the den. What the hell? Again she scanned through her recollections of the day and shaking her head, she couldn't find the source of the silent treatment she was being forced to endure. Following him into the den, Emily asked softly, "Do you want to tell me what this is all about, Dave, or do I need to start guessing?" Waiting impatiently for a response, none was forthcoming as he simply stood staring out the bay window, occasionally taking a sip from the glass in his hand.

"Dave!" she finally exploded. "I think I deserve an answer here," she said more quietly.

Not turning, he bit out, "Leave it alone, Emily. For now, just leave it."

"Well, I would, Dave," Emily muttered sarcastically, "but, since you're determined to act like a three year old, I'm forced to treat you like one. Just tell me what you're pissed about so that we can deal with it and move on."

Shaking his head, Dave continued staring at the window, his only response, was the tightening of his hand around the glass.

Crossing her arms across her chest, Emily stared at the taciturn man. Damn it…she should have held to her original plan and gone back to her own apartment tonight, with or without him. But, when she'd suggested it as they'd left the bullpen, Dave's speaking glare had been enough to change her mind. At least at her own place, she'd have had the option of throwing him out. Instead, it looked like she'd be making the commute back into the city alone tonight. There was no way she was inflicting this on herself tonight, not after the day she'd had…the day they'd ALL had.

"Okay, Rossi," Emily finally sighed. "I'm going home. Obviously, this was a bad idea tonight," she murmured, turning to leave.

"He's watching you," Dave replied flatly, never turning from his position at the window.

"Excuse me?" Emily said from the doorway, turning to frown at him.

"Aaron. He's watching you," Dave repeated darkly.

"So. Hotch watches everybody. It's in his job description," Emily shrugged, becoming more confused by the moment.

"Not like that," Dave said softly. "What I saw in his eyes…isn't a part of our job. He was watching you the way I watch you, Emily."

Eyes widening, Emily automatically shook her head. "You're imagining things."

Turning sharply to face her with dark angry eyes, Dave bit out, "I think I'd be the one to know that look, don't you? I've given it enough times. What I saw was predatory interest."

"You realize that you're talking about our boss, your best friend and protégée, right?" Emily asked slowly.

"I know what I saw," Dave said softly, turning to gaze back out the window again. "Friend or not, Aaron's interested. And he doesn't know that you're taken. You've made sure of that."

"Wait a second," Emily replied, raising a hand. "You're blaming me for a look Hotch gave me?"

"I'm blaming you for the fact that he doesn't know that he isn't ALLOWED to look at you like that," Dave corrected grimly. "Is there a reason for that, Emily? A good reason?"

"Let me see if I understand your anger here," Emily said slowly, measuring her words as she tried to tamp down on her rising anger. "You're furious because of a non-existent look that I didn't return or have any prior knowledge of, coupled with the fact that I haven't disclosed a relationship that we BOTH agreed would remain private until we knew where it was going. Am I close?"

"Are you trying to make me angrier, Prentiss?" Dave asked casually…too casually.

"No. At the moment, I'm too concerned about keeping my own temper in check," Emily replied coolly.

"The look existed, Emily. The interest is tangible. I saw it with my own eyes. I recognized it for what it was. Whether you saw it or not is beyond the point," Dave replied softly. "Or," he said, pausing, "have you seen it?"

"Now, you're pissing me off," Emily said, ice dripping from her words. "You think I'd try to play both sides of the fence, Dave?"

"It wouldn't be the first time I've seen it done," Dave responded with feigned carelessness.

Taking a moment before she responded, Emily told herself to remain calm and not allow him to bait her. "You're very lucky I consider throwing things beneath me, Rossi," she said quietly. "I have no interest in Aaron Hotchner beyond a deep and abiding concern for a friend, directly brought on by YOU. Accusing me of anything else is not something I'd continue if you value the prospect of a future with me," she told him, her tone carefully modulated. "It is not my fault if he gave me more than a passing glance. Which by the way, I doubt he did. I think you're seeing shadows in the night, Dave. What I want to know is why."

"I've already told you the answer to that question. And stop implying that I didn't see what I KNOW I saw," Dave said gruffly.

"Fine, Dave. Let's talk about what you DIDN'T see then," Emily said calmly. "You didn't see me returning those looks, did you? You didn't see me act suggestively. You didn't see me do anything differently than I ever have."

"I also haven't seen you indicate any interest in bringing our relationship out into the open," Dave ground out.

"You're right, I haven't. But then, it hasn't exactly been a relaxed working environment though, has it? Not exactly a place conducive to a blossoming relationship, is it?" Emily defended herself.

"As long as we keep what's between us a secret, you give Hotch false hope," Dave returned evenly.

"I'm not giving Hotch anything, David. He doesn't want anything from me," Emily denied, her teeth clenching as she caught a glimpse of his resolute profile. This man was convinced. Absolutely convinced that his best friend had feeling for her. Because of something as insignificant as an alleged look.

"You're wrong," Dave murmured.

"Okay, maybe I AM wrong. That doesn't mean that I WANT to give him anything beyond the support he obviously needs right now. The support, that I might add, YOU encouraged me to offer him," Emily said, her words clipped.

"I didn't tell you to offer him false hope," Dave shot back.

"I'm NOT!" Emily spat.

"You are. As long as you refuse to clue him into the fact that there is very definitely an us, then, I'm afraid you do," Dave argued.

"Where the hell is this insecurity coming from?" Emily asked quickly. "Where's the self confident man I fell in love with?" she continued, staring at the back of the man that, until this moment, she'd been sure would never doubt her…or them.

"He's a little busy being concerned that the woman he loves is going to eventually realize that a relationship with the best friend he'd kill for makes more sense than we do," Dave admitted softly.

Jaw dropping, Emily gaped at the man in front of her. "Are you insane?" Emily finally gasped when she could find her voice again.

"Where you see insanity, I see a logical choice. Hotch isn't nearly as big a risk as I am, is he?" Dave asked, his words faint in the still air around them.

"Maybe not, but I'm not in love with him. Besides, it isn't as though I don't come with my own set of baggage. Baggage that you're fairly adept at dealing with," Emily added, studying him as she leaned against the doorframe.

Blowing out a deep breath, Dave turned again to face her. "I'm not used to feeling inadequate. Or jealous. Not particularly an enjoyable feeling."

"You should try being on this side of it," Emily mumbled, staring down at the floor.

"It isn't your fault. I know I tried to blame you, but I realize you can't control the actions of others," Dave sighed. "I just wish we could end this secrecy, Emmy. If Hotch knew, he'd back off."

"Dave, he hasn't done anything," Emily groaned, meeting his eyes across the room and seeing the expression of disbelief.

"No, Emily, he just doesn't realize that he's done anything. I know what I saw, Cara. It wasn't just casual interest," Dave said with a shake of his head as he dropped onto the leather sofa.

Walking across the room to sit beside him, Emily turned to face her lover. "Whatever you saw, it wasn't and isn't reciprocated. Tell me you can at least acknowledge that much."

Silence pervaded the room for a long minute, the ticking mantle clock the only sound in the room. "I do," he finally replied.

"This really bothers you," Emily mused, silently contemplating the man beside her.

Lifting stricken eyes to hers, Dave nodded. "Yeah, Emmy. It does more than bother me though. It hurts."

Biting her lower lip, Emily felt uncertainty settle over her. For a man like David Rossi to admit that he was in pain told her more than anything how serious he was about their relationship. On the other hand, she didn't like being pressured. She understood that he wasn't intentionally bullying her. He was merely reacting to a situation…but she still felt as though she'd taken an emotional jab in the gut.

Sitting mutely beside him for several long minutes, Emily swallowed nervously. She knew she was about to take a huge leap of faith. But, she refused to do it entirely on his terms. She'd compromise.

"Okay, Dave," she said softly. "If this is that important to you, we'll tell Hotch. Together. But, only Hotch. There's no reason to drag our entire team into our personal life. Honestly, none of us need that complication right now, okay?"

Startled, Dave turned to look at her. "You mean it?" he asked hopefully.

"I mean it," she nodded. "I also meant it when I said I loved you. Only you," she whispered, watching his shoulders slowly begin to relax.

"That I knew," he said softly, reaching out a tentative hand for hers. "But, I won't lie and say that I'm not really glad to hear the words."

"You came real close to hearing a few other words tonight, Rossi," Emily sighed.

Averting his gaze, he gently squeezed her fingers. "I know."

"I've never given you a reason to doubt me, Dave," Emily murmured.

"I don't doubt you, Emily. I doubted myself," he breathed.

Smiling gently, Emily shook her head at the brooding man. "It's a good thing that I don't."

**_FINIS_**


End file.
